Protecting apron for well tubing



May 4, 1943.

Till',

E. COOPER PROTECTING APRON FOR WELL TUBING Flled Nov 17, 1941 Patented May 4, 1943 SATES 'Meur orties l S Claims.

This invention relates -to oil well tubing and more particularly to a protecting apron or skirt especially designed for preventing splashing of oil when pulling said tubing.

The object of the invention is to provide a protecting apron of simple and inexpensive construction capable of being quickly snapped in position on the lower pipe section of a string of tubing near the adjacent coupling thereof and by means of which oil is prevented from splashing over the operator when the tubing sections are disconnected.

A further `object of the invention is to provide a protecting apron comprising a resilient attaching member adapted to yieldably grip a tubing section and provided with a depending pliable skirt for preventing lateral splashing of oil.

A further object is to provide the resilient attaching member with terminal finger-engaging tabs to facilitate expanding said member when placing the device on or removing the same from the tubing.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a protecting apron or skirt embodying the present invention showing the same in position on a string of tublng,

Figure 2 is a perspective View, partly in section, of the device detached and showing how the resilient attaching member is expanded to facilitate positioning the device on or removing said device from a tubing section,

Figure 3 is atransverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view,

Figure 5 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the resilient band or attaching member detached.

The improved protecting apron or skirt forming the subject-matter of the present invention is designed for attachment to one of the sections of a string of tubing after said string of tubing has been pulled or lifted from the well and, in Figure l of the drawing, is shown positioned on the upper pipe section 5 adjacent the coupling 6 connecting said upper pipe section with a lower pipe section 1.

The device is preferably formed of a single length of strong canvas or other pliable material, the upper portion of which is folded upon itself and stitched at 8 to form a reinforcing hem 9 defining an intermediate pocket l for the reception of a resilient attaching member II preferably in the form of an annular resilient band, as best shown in Figure 6 of the drawing. The length of the band II is such that, when the same is contracted, the adjacent ends thereof will overlap, as indicated at I2, so as to cause the band to yieldably grip the pipe section 5 and securely hold the device in position thereon, One end of the attaching member or band II is tapered, as indicated at IZ', to facilitate inserting said band within the pocket.

Depending from the hem 9 and formed integral therewith is a pliable bell shaped apron or skirt I3, the lower end of which is strengthened by a reinforcing hem I4. Thervertical edges of the skirt or apron are overlapped but not connected with each other so as to permit said edges to separate to accommodate different size pipes, said vertical edges being also preferably strengthened by vertical reinforcing hems I5. One end of the resilient attaching member or band II is spaced inwardly from the adjacent end of the hem 9 to form a linger-engaging tab I6 while the other end thereof terminates short of :the opposite end of the hem to form a similar ngerengaging tab Il, both tabs being preferably reinforced and strengthened by terminal hems IB.

In order to prevent the tapered end of uthe clamping band I I from punching or wearing through the fabric, there is provided a substantially U-shaped metallic clip I9 which engages the inner and outer faces of the hem 9 at the inner end of the finger-engaging tab I'I and is secured to said hem by rivets or similar fastening devices 20. It will thus be seen that by grasping the tabs I6 and I1 and exerting an outward pull thereon the attaching member may be expanded to permit the device to be readily fitted over the pipe 5 and as soon as the tabs are released the inherent resiliency of the band II will cause the same to collapse and hold the device firmly in position on the tubing.

In operation a string of tubing is lifted from the well and the device positioned onithe upper tubing section 5 by exerting an outward pull on the tabs I6 and I1 to permit the portion 9 of said device to be snapped around the pipe 5. When the device is positioned on the tubing section or pipe 5, the skirt or apron I3 will extend downwardly over the coupling 6 so that any oil escaping at the coupling 6 when the upper section 5 is disconnected from the lower section will flow downwardly instead of splashing laterally over the operator. In order to remove the device, it is merely necessary to grasp the finger-engaging tabs I6 and l1 and expand the band I l when the device may be readily removed and positioned on another pipe section when desired. Inasmuch as there is little Awear or tear on the clamping band Il, it will outlast the apron and when a new apron is necessary the clamping band may be readily removed from the worn apron and inserted within the pocket l0 of a new apron, as will be readily understood.

The construction of the device is such that, when theupper tubing section is removed, the apron will be retained in position thereon so as to prevent said apron from slipping downwardly within the dump hole.

It will, of course, be understood that the devices may be made in different sizes and shapes so as to t tubing of any cross sectional diameter.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with coacting pipe sections including a coupling member, of a protecting apron having its upper portion provided with a pocket surrounding the upper pipe section and its lower portion provided with a depending skirt extending over said coupling member, a split resilient clamping band seated in said pocket, and nger engaging tabs disposed adjacent the split portion of the clamping band.

2. The combination with coacting pipe sections including a coupling member, of a protecting apron formed of pliable material having its upper portion provided with a hem defining a pocket and its lower portion provided with a depending skirt extending over said coupling niember, and a resilient band fitted in the pocket and terminating short of the adjacent ends of the hem to form terminal linger-engaging tabs.

3. The combination With coacting pipe sections including a coupling member, of a protecting apron having its upper portion provided With'a transversely split resilient attaching member adapted to yieldably engage the upper pipe section and its lower portion provided with a de, pending skirt extending over said coupling member, and linger-engaging tabs secured to said upper portion adjacent the split in the attaching member.

4. The combination with coacting pipe sections including a coupling member, of a protecting apron having its upper portion provided with a transversely split resilient attaching member adapted to snap around the upper pipe section and its lower portion formed with a depending pliable skirt extending over said coupling member, and finger engaging tabs extending laterally from the apron at the split portion of the attaching member.

5. A protecting apron for well tubing comprising a, pliable body portion having its upper end folded upon itself to form a hem dening a pocket and its lower portion formed with a depending skirt, and a transversely split resilient band seated within the pocket and having its adjacent ends normally overlapped.

6. A protecting apron for well tubing comprising a pliable body portion having its upper end formed with a hem defining a pocket and its adjacent vertical edges normally overlapped and disconnected to form a depending skirt, and a transversely split resilient band seated Within the pocket, the ends of the hem being extended beyond the adjacent ends of the band to form finger-engaging tabs.

7. A protecting apron for well tubing comprising a pliable body portion having its upper end folded upon itself to form a hem defining an interior pocket and its adjacent vertical edges overlapped to form a depending skirt, a split resilient band seated in said pocketand terminating short of the adjacent ends of the hem to form linger-engaging tabs, one end of said band being tapered and the adjacent portion of the hem folded upon itself, and a substantially Ushaped clip tted over the folded portion of the hem and secured thereto adjacent the tapered end of said band.

8. A protecting apron for well tubing comprising a substantially rectangular strip of Vpliable material having its upper end folded upon itself to form a hem defining a pocket and its vertical edges overlapped and normally disconnected to form a depending skirt, a transversely split resilient band seated in said pocket and having its adjacent ends Vnormally overlapped, and ingerengaging tabs forming a part of said hem to facilitate expanding the'band when applying the device to a section of well tubing.

ERNEST COOPER. 

